Switch connecter



Jan. 21, 1930. G. J. MEUER SWITCH CONNECTER Filed Jan. 2

JJVVENTOH A T TOR NE? Patented Jan. 21, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GEORGE J. MEUER, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T CUTLER-HAMMER, INC., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE SWITCH GONNECTER Application filed January 2, 1923.

This invention relates to switch-connecters for portable electrical apparatus, as for example, vacuum cleaners.

, The invention has among its objects to provide a unitary switch and associated connecter prongs to be fixed to the portable device and a complementary connecter element to beplugged onto such prongs, said element being suitable for permanent attachment to a sup ply cord.

Another object is to provide a self contained switch-connecter unit of the aforesaid character which is of simple, rugged and inexpensive construction and which can be readily installed.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear.

The accompanying drawing illustrates an embodiment of the invention which will now be described it being understood that the embodiment illustrated is capable of use in connection with various types of portable de vices and that various modifications can be made in the embodiment shown without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a plan view of a conventional type of electric vacuum cleaner having a switch-connecter embodying the invention mounted thereon;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the vacuum cleaner and switch-connecter shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view of the switchconnecter with the cover removed and the detachable connecter member shown in section;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line 4-4 of Fig. 3, the detachable connecter member being shown partly in elevation; and

' Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view on line 55 of Fig. 3.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the same illustrate a switch-connecter embodying the invention in connection with a conventional type of vacuum cleaner including a body 1, a motor 2 mounted thereon, and a handle 3 provided with a forked portion 4: pivoted to said body on opposite'sides of said motor. 60 The switch-connector includes a switch unit 5 Serial No. 610,095.

to be secured to the housing of the motor and, as hereinafter set forth, said unit is provided with a snap switch mechanism adapted to be actuated-by a projection 6 on the forked portion 4 of handle 3 and is also provided with projecting connecter prongs to detachably plug into a complementary element 7.

The switch unit 5 comprises in general an insulating base 8 to be secured to the housing of motor 2, a snap switch mechanism 9 mounted on the front face of said base and connecter prongs 10 and 11 fixed to the front face of said base and projecting outwardly therebeyond. The snap switch mechanism includes an operating element 12 pivotally se -v cured to a supporting frame 13, a contact element 14 pivoted to said operating element and a spring 15 associated with said contact element to move the same in opposite directions with a snap action upon movement of said operating element in opposite directions.

More specifically, operating element 12 comprises an inverted U-shaped member 16 oscillatably mounted on a pin 17 carried by supporting frame 13 and having a flat operating part 18 riveted thereto at 19. The opcrating part 18 is provided with a curved edge substantially concentric to the axis of pin 17 and said edge is provided with a recess 20 for receiving projection 6 of handle 3 as hereinafter set forth. Frame 13 is provided with spaced side portions having openings therein for receiving pin 17 and said frame is provided with outwardly extending projections 22 secured to base 8 by screws 23. Contact element 14 comprises a U-shaped member 24 having outwardly extending projections 25 on the extremities thereof adapted to engage open pivotal bearings, in the extremities of member 16. The free end of member 24: carries an insulated contact 26 which is clamped to said member between insulating members 27 and 28, the latter insulating member being provided with a projection 29 extending through openings in contact member 26, insulating member 27 and the free end of member 24. The upper end of projection 29 is fixed to one end of spring 15 and the opposite end of said spring is fixed to pin 17. Spring 15 is under a slight constant tension and it is therefore apparent that the same acts to maintain the contact element 14 in pivotal connection with the operating element 12 and to normally bias both of said elements into extreme positions, movement of said contact element in opposite directions being limited by the inner edges of extensions 22 on frame 13.

' Contact element 14 projects into a recess 30 in base 8 and the contact 26 thereof is adapted to bridge stationary contacts 31 and 32 arranged on opposite sides of said recess. Stationary contact 31 is clamped against the upper face of base 8 by a terminal plate 33, the latter bein secured to said base by a screw 34. Stationary contact 32 is clamped against the upper face of base 8 by a projection 35 on the inner end of connecter prong 11, said projection being secured to said base by a screw 36. Connecter prong 10 is cut away on the under side thereof to clear terminal plate 33 and the inner end thereof is provided with a terminal portion 37 which is secured to base 8 by a screw 38.

From the foregoing it is apparent that upon oscillation of operating element 12 in opposite directions the pivot of contact element-14 is shifted across the axis of spring 15 to cause said contact element to move from one extreme position to the other with a snap action. Assuming that the switch unit 5 is mounted as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, it is apparent that during movement of the operating handle 3 to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 2 projection 6 will engage in recess 20 of operating part 18 to move said part in a direction to elfect snap movement of contact element 14 out of engagement with stationary contacts 31 and 32 while movement of said operating handle to the position indicated in full lines will efi'ect a reverse snap movement of said element into engagement withsaid stationary contacts. Thus it is apparent that if one terminal of motor 2 is connected to terminal plate 33 while the other terminalthereof is connected to terminal projection 37 the snapswitch mechanism will serve to make and break circuit between one terminal of the motor and connecter prong 11.

The connecter element 7 for receiving prongs 10 and 11 can be of any suitable type and as shown the same includes a body 40 having openings therein for receiving said connecter prongs and a cap 41 secured to said body. Cap 41 has a central conductor opening therein and is provided with terminal clips 42 and 43 arranged on opposite sides of said opening and adapted to engage the inner faces of said connecter prongs, and to be connected to the wires of a supply cord entering said central opening. The clips 42 and 43 project into passages inthe body 40 which passages terminate in the aforementioned prong receiving openings, the latter being of such dimensions as to render the clips inaccessible except with respect to the prongs.

Insulating base 8 has aprojecting portion 44 to fit within a suitable opening in the housing of motor 2 and a shouldered portion 45 adapted to be clamped against said housing by screws 46. Said base is also provided with openings 47 and 48 adjacent terminals 37 and 34 respectively for receiving the terminal wires of the motor and the upper face thereof is provided with recesses 49 for receiving downwardly projecting portions on the connecter prongs 10 and 11 to hold'said prongs in parallel relation. The switch mechanism is enclosed by a cover 50, to be clamped against the housing of motor 2 by screws 51. Cover 50 is provided with an opening in the outer wall thereof for receiving the switch operating part 18 and an opening in the side wall thereof for receiving connecter prongs 10 and 11, the latter opening being preferably covered by an insulating washer 52 carried by said prongs.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A switch connecter element for portable electrical devices, comprising an insulating base to be fixed directly to the device, a switch mechanism mounted upon said base, said mechanism includin a pair of stationary contacts and a mova le contact element for making and breaking circuit between said contacts, a pair of contact prongs fixed to said base and projecting therebeyond, one of said prongs to be connected. by said switch mechanism to one of the terminals of the device and the other to be directly connected to another terminal of the device, an enclosing casing for said switch mechanism having an opening therein for receiving said prongs, and an insulating) covering for said opening to be supported y said prongs.

2. Aswitchconnecterfor portable electrical devices, comprising an insulatin base to be secured directly to the device, said base having a recess in one face thereof, a snap switch mechanism mounted on said base and including a pair of stationary contacts arranged within said recess on opposite sides thereof, and a swinging contact member adapted to make and break circuit between said contacts,

a pair of terminal members fixed to said face of the base for direct connection to the termimals of said device and a pair of contact prongs mounted on said base in the plane of said terminal members and projecting outwardly beyond said base, one of said terminal members being permanently connected to one of said prongs and the other terminal member being arranged for connection to the other of said prongs by said switch mechanism.

3. A switch connecter for a portable electrical device, having an oscillatable operating handle, comprising an insulating base to be fixed directly to the device, a pair of contact prongs mounted on one face of said base and projecting therebeyond, said prongs being adapted to engage corresponding contact terminals in an attachment plug, and a snap switch mechanism for controlling circuit between said prongs and the device, said switch mechanism being also mounted on the aforementioned face of said base and having an operating member adapted to be actuated by the operating handle of the device.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

GEORGE J. MEUER. 

